The invention disclosed herein arose out of a need to provide an inconspicuous traverse rod assembly for the support of vertical slats of the venetian blind type. Most traverse rods are conspicuously supported across or adjacent the top of a window opening. Usually an attempt is made by the installer to select a color for the rod which will match the decor of the area. However, it has been and still is unlikely that a perfect color matching will be possible. Further, the problem of color matching becomes greater when the decor of the area is changed. Oftentimes, a painter will accidentally smear paint on the traverse rod and fail to remove same thereby causing the rod to be unsightly and often requiring it to be hidden by a valance or other form of drapery, device or material.
The problem of conspicuousness with respect to the structure operable with or by the traverse rod and effecting an operation of the vertical blinds has been solved by the structure disclosed in copending applications filed concurrently herewith, Ser. Nos. 298,554 and 298,553. These arrangements satisfactorily handle the cords for moving the vertical blinds across the window opening and thereby prevent the cords from becoming ensnarled in the drive mechanism for pivoting the vertical blinds about their vertical axes. In addition, the master carrier is readily assembled onto the traverse rod and connected to a selected one of the hangers as well as being easily connected to the cords. However, developing a satisfactorily operable master carrier cooperable with the traverse rod and rod end structures for guiding the cordage which effects movement of a master carrier and hangers supporting the vertical blind slats, has remained a problem.
It has been particularly troublesome to effect a proper securement of the proper hanger to the master carrier in a traverse rod which is of a construction enabling it to be inconspicuous when installed. Accordingly, it is desirous to provide a satisfactorily operable traverse rod which has structure effecting pivotal movement of vertical blind slats about vertical axes without interference from the mechanism for moving the slats laterally.
Other objects of the invention include:
1. Provision of a traverse rod and vertical blind assembly in which the traverse rod has a sufficiently small vertical dimension that it will be inconspicuous when the vertical blinds are open;
2. Provision of a traverse rod and vertical blind assembly, as aforesaid, in which the traverse rod may be placed against a ceiling or recessed into a ceiling without adverse effects upon its operation or upon the appearance of the vertical blinds supported thereby;
3. Provision of a traverse rod and vertical blind assembly cooperating therewith for holding traversable vertical blinds in an attractive condition when closed and for minimizing the pack-back space required for the vertical blinds when same are open;
4. Provision of a traverse rod, as aforesaid, which is attractive;
5. Provision of a traverse rod, as aforesaid, in which the auxiliary parts thereof, such as the master carriers and hangers, are simple and economical to make and nevertheless are effective and reliable in operation; and
6. Provision of a traverse rod, as aforesaid, wherein the master carriers and the hangers are separate components readily connected together upon assembly of the traverse rod and vertical blind assembly.